title: Bilateral, hyperdense middle cerebral arteries predict bihemispheric stroke.
abstract: The hyperdense vessel sign is a debated topic in terms of its sensitivity and specificity for acute cerebral ischemia. Bilateral, hyperdense middle cerebral artery signs are rare presentations of bilateral cerebral infarction. We describe a 17-year-old boy with a history of cerebral palsy and a repaired atrial septal defect, presenting with lethargy and respiratory failure. Noncontrast computed tomography of the brain revealed bilateral, hyperdense middle cerebral artery signs, and he subsequently demonstrated bilateral cerebral infarctions in the distributions of the middle cerebral arteries. Hyperdense artery signs must alert physicians to evaluate patients for stroke, with an especially high index of suspicion for pediatric patients with hyperdense vessels, who are less likely to present with atherosclerotic disease causing vascular calcifications; rather, hyperdense artery signs could be an early sign of large-vessel thrombosis and cerebral infarction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. hakam@bcm.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Sheng-Han
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: El-Hakam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed